Since being drafted, New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq has struggled to stay on the practice field.

The team held him out of OTAs and minicamp to recover from a hernia procedure, which was initially viewed as cautious.

At the start of training camp, the Jets’ goal was met, as he was fully healthy and ready to go.

However, he is now sidelined once again.

On Wednesday, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn revealed to reporters that the rookie TE has suffered “a little setback” in his recovery from his procedure in May.

In an exclusive conversation with Jets X-Factor, Dr. Daniel Kaplan, a sports orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Health, provided more insight into hernias and the recovery process.

“It depends on what type of ‘hernia surgery’ he had,” Dr. Kaplan told X-Factor. “He could have had a true inguinal hernia, where the bowel herniates (comes through) a weakened spot in the abdominal wall, which is what most people think of when they say ‘hernia’, or a core muscle injury, otherwise known as a ‘sports hernia’, which is a confusing name. A sports hernia is when the abdominal wall tears off the pubic bone in your lower abdominal area. To my knowledge, they haven’t announced which type of hernia he had.

“Recovery from an inguinal hernia is a little faster and takes 4-8 weeks.” Recovery from a sports hernia (core muscle injury) is more like 8-12 weeks,” he added.

The good news, though, is that Dr. Kaplan believes the setback is unlikely to be anything “catastrophic.”

“Probably nothing catastrophic,” the medical professional said regarding what a setback could look like. “If he had an inguinal hernia and the repair failed (the bowel went through the repaired abdominal wall again), that would be a big deal and probably be season-ending, as opposed to just a delay like they’re talking about.

“If he had a sports hernia, there’s not a ton that can go catastrophically wrong in the postop period,” he continued. “For either condition, he probably just needs to slow down his rehab due to accumulating inflammation while he works himself back into game shape.”

Glenn is confident that Sadiq will be ready to go for Week 1 of the regular season, which is a promising sign. However, this time of year is always valuable for rookies as they look to build a rapport with the quarterbacks and adjust from the college ranks to the pros.

According to Dr. Kaplan, “the biggest obstacle most likely has to do with his fitness readiness to compete at the pro level.”

“Regardless of the type of hernia surgery he had, it’s unlikely that will be a weakness for him later on in the season,” Dr. Kaplan proclaimed. “It’s a bigger issue whether or not he has enough time to get into NFL-ready shape for Week 1 if they have to slow down his rehab and limit his reps.”

Sadiq is expected to contribute as an all-around weapon for the Jets. Given the expectation that he will contribute in multiple areas, there is more terminology and schematics for him to learn, further amplifying the importance of this missed time.

Even though Sadiq carries immense upside, one thing is clear about his game: he remains very raw. When combining those two elements, it’s clear to see why it may be tough for Sadiq to be up to full speed by Week 1.

For a Jets team that will rely heavily on its rookies to contribute right away, particularly in the passing attack, Sadiq’s health is crucial.